the big dig!

My third day in the garden proved quite productive so instead of the usual bewilderment of where to start I feel on top of things! This will be my fourth year in this garden so I'm beginning to feel like its mine.


My first job was to make a path down the side of the veg patch, it used to be a grass edge but I hated how untidy it was getting. As per usual I bodged it a bit, but I'm just a girl so its not bad.
I recycled more of the old fence wood, I do wonder if anyone watches me trifling with the dangerous weapons ie' a saw'. I do still have all my fingers!


I made the path out of bark chippings on top of weed suppressing material. Lets see how long it lasts. So I've dug most of the veg patch over, probably the first of many. Its good to get turning the earth as it encourages the birds to eat up the pests (as if they need encouragement!)




Don't you love fresh new shoots. The top pic is the new leaves of aquilegia 'Nora Barlow' which I grew from seed last spring, hopefully there will be flowers this spring. The one above is a tip of a camassia which I planted in the Autumn.

These curious pink things are the beginnings of rhubarb.

I definitely feel I've been to the green gym this week!
But how blissful to be back in the garden!

Oh happy day!!

I don't care if its still only February, if the sun is out then so am I.



There's lots to do!

One job that needed doing was to move a tree that had been crowded out by too many shrubs, not my doing. The above picture shows you what I mean. Its a White Beam which grow quite big so it had to be moved before it became impossible. As it was the roots had hardly grown at all so hopefully with more space and some tlc it will survive.

The digging and repositioning was pretty painless, however I think I have hurt my back, I shall know it tomorrow! The tree has been moved from the middle right of the garden to the top right in front of the gravel garden. There are two reasons for choosing this position, the first is to screen out the neighbours house and the second will eventually be to hang a hammock from.

I had company as usual when digging in the garden. My newly acquainted friend mr robin and a veteran BB blackbird.


We bought our seed potatoes at the weekend.
Twelve is all we have room for, which keeps us fed for 3 or 4 months, so not bad and definitely worth the bother. This year I'm sticking with Cara and Desiree, both of which we have had success with. They are both maincrop, which means they will be planted later and harvested around August time. So for now the potatoes will be left to 'chit', which means allowed to grow shoots (like you might find if you have an old potato left over). This is supposed to help produce more spuds or give them a head start, though I'm not sure its necessary.

Yay for the sun and a nice warm bath and country living....

ho hum

Spring pull your socks up
there are desperate gardeners!!

meltdown

Well its nearly all gone! Until next time?

its really coming down now!!

what no gardening?